Transom-lifter



(No Model.)

G. A. BOLTON. TRANSOM LIFTER.

Patented Sept. 17, 1895.

.ll l l' mew/07: 7:96.72. 62985072 Nrrnr) STATES AT m? GEORGE A. COLTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLlNOIS.

TRANSQM-LIFTER.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 546,380, dated September 17, 1895.

Application filed A ril1,1895. Serial No. 544,120. on model.)

To all whom it nuty concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. COLTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and ,State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transom-Lifters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in transom-lifts, and more particularly to the locking device or grip therefor.

It has for its object among others to provide a simple and cheap lock for the lift-rod, which shall be easily operated and which shall be automatic in its locking movement. It embodies balls or disks or the like held within a spring and mounted to press upon the liftrod to hold the same, said balls or disks being designed to be moved away from each other and out of contact with the rod by means of an endwise-rnovable push-pin or its equivalent, having a tapered inner portion, which is designed to be forced between the balls or disks to separate the same, and upon the inclined faces of this inner portion the balls or disks travel as pressure is removed from the push-button, and thus the balls or disks auto matieally assume their normal position against the rod, being assisted by the spring.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the let ters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement in transom-lifts with the locking device shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail showing the push-button forced in and the balls out of contact with the rod. Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the locking device, its case, and thelift-rod. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the push'button and the ball and disk.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the lift-rod, which may be of any desired form in cross-section, mounted to slide through the guide B, which is secured to the casing A, and which guide carries the guide-rod G, upon which slides the guide-plate D, to which is connected the rod or link E for connection with the transom. All of these parts are of known construction and operation, and a further description thereof is not deemed necessary.

F is the casing of the lock. It is provided with apertnred lugs or flanges, as seen best in Fig. 3, for the reception of its securing means, by which it is afiixed in position on the casing. The back of this case is practically open, (the casing A serves to cover the parts when in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) but is formed with a transverse barf, the outerthat is, the frontface of which is rounded, as seen in said Figs. 1 and 2, for apnrpose which will soon appear.

G is apiece of flat spring material seated in a recess in the back face of the barf, as seen best in Fig. 2, so that its rear face will be flush with the rear face of the casing 13, the ends of the spring-plate being curved in opposite directions toward each other, as best seen in Fig. 2, and H are balls or disks held by these curved or bent ends, as shown. These balls or disks are held between these ends and the tapered 0r inclined inner end of the pushbutton I, which has an elongated opening i, as seen in Figs. 2 and i, through which the liftrod loosely passes. This puslrbutton or pin is mounted in the neck F of the casing F, as shown, and may be provided with a head or finger piece I, if desired.

With the parts constructed and arranged substantially as above set forth the operation is as follows: Normally the push-button is held at its outmost limit by the action of the spring, as seen in Fig. 1, and the balls ride up the incline of the transverse barf and upon the inclines of the inner end of the push-button and grip the lift-rod and hold it firmly against movement. Now when it is desired to raise or lower the transom all thatit is necessary to do is to push in upon the push bntton, when its tapered inner end will push the balls or disks away from each other and consequently away from contact with thelift-rod, as seen in Fig. 2,

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when the said rod may be easily moved up or down. When the transom is in the desired position, pressure is removed from the pushbutton, when the spring immediately returns the parts to their normal position and the balls grip the lift-rod and firmly hold it against movement.

Modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

\Vhat I claim as new is 1. The combination with the lift-rod, of a lock therefor embodying loosely mounted bodily separable unpivoted grip devices having curved acting faces and mounted to grip the liftrod, and an endwise movable device adapted to enter between and bodily move and separate said grip devices, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the lift-rod, of the end wise-movable push-button, the balls, and

GEORGE A. COLTON. \Vitnesses:

GEORGE W. Cox, J r., HENRY HILLS. 

